Apparatus for joining refractory brick channels and hangers



Nov. 26, 1963 R. M. FOCHT 3,111,868

APPARATUS FOR JOINING REFRACTORY BRICK CHANNELS AND HANGERS OriginalFiled Dec. 1, 1959 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 85 55 I 1 ROBERT M. FOCHT ATTORNEY10 I 6 INVENTOR R. M. FOCHT 3,111,868

APPARATUS FOR JOINING REFRACTORY BRICK CHANNELS AND HANGERS Nov. 26,1963 Original Filed Dec. 1, 1959 FIG. 5.

INVENTOR ROBERT M. FOO HT BY WW ATTORNEY Nov. 26, 1963 R. M. FOCHT3,111,868

APPARATUS FOR JOINING REFRACTORY BRICK CHANNELS AND HANGERS OriginalFiled Dec. 1, 1959 3 SheetsSheet 3 7 FIG.6. u w 7. FIG. 9

' -2 52 l III. A 68 a 5 3| 17/ 69 79 i 40 4a I 24 1 I +45 38 l 84 l 1 1145 A2 37 as as a1 a; FIG. H. 44 43 7 FIG.7.

37 I 53 INVENIOR ROBERT ItFOCHT FIG. 8. V

ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,111,868 APPARATUS FOR JOHNENG REFRACTORYBRICK CHANNELS AND HANGERS Robert M. Focht, Lansdale, Pa, assignor to E.J. Lavino and Company, Philadelphia, Pa.

Original application Dec. 1, 1959, Ser- No. 856,395, now Patent No.3,031,748, dated May 1, 1962. Divided and this application July 25,1960, Ser. No. 45,017

8 Claims. (Cl. 78-46) This invention relates to the art of manufacturingrefractory brick and more particularly the manufacture of such brickhaving embedded therein a reinforcing metal channel and hanger tab.

In the manufacture of refractory brick use is made of metal channelmembers which are embedded in the body of the brick, where the brick isformed or manufactured for specialized uses, and such channels are alsoattached to hanger tabs for use in fixing or securing the brick inplace.

The insertion of the metal reinforcing channels into the body of thebrick or into the brick material as it is being formed or pressed intoshape, has heretofore created certain problems which have made itdiflicult to produce a brick which is free of certain internal stresseswhich tend to cause the brick to crack.

This is a divisional application of application Serial No. 856,395,filed December 1, 1959, now Patent No. 3,031,- 748, granted May 1, 1962.

In a copending application filed by Walter J. Thomas, Sr. and myself, adescription of the problems involved and the manner in which theydevelop is given, together with a means by which this problem is solvedor overcome. As set forth in the application in question, the metalchannels hereto-fore used had solid webs between the sides or legsthereof, and because of this, when the channel is pressed into the brickmaterial, leg iirst, the legs are caused to separate or spread, whichsets up stresses in the metal at the angles between the legs and the webwhich results in the tendency of the legs to pull back toward theiroriginal parallel relationship, thus leaving certain voids in the brickmaterial which produce undesirable cracks and weakness in the finishedbrick. The solution of the problem whereby the metal channel can beintroduced into the brick material in the usual manner without settingup the stresses and without resulting in the formation of voids in thebrick material, is accomplished by splitting the internal channel webfrom each end through a portion of its length. Where the metal channelis equipped with the hanger tabs which heretofore have been attached tothe channel web, it then became necessary to devise a means whereby thetab could be secured to the web in such a manner as not to interferewith the function of the split of the web. It is accordingly an objectof the present invention to provide a novel method of attaching thehanger tab to the web of the reinforcing channel in such a manner thatthe tab will be so secured to the channel web that when the stresses areapplied to the logs of the Web as the channel is being forced into thebrick material, the attachment will become loosened, at least on oneside of the split of the web, so that the function of the split will notbe interfered with or defeated.

A further object of the invention is to provide a method of stakingtogether two pieces of metal in a new and novel manner which will permitthe separation of the pieces under certain circumstances resulting fromthe imposition of a predetermined degree of strain or tension placedupon the connection.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a new and novel typeof apparatus whereby the operation of staking the metal parts togetherin accordance with the present invention may be easily and quicklycarried out.

3,11 1,868 9atented Nov. 26, 1963 Broadly the method of the presentinvention consists in providing one of the two pieces of material withan aperture or a pair of apertures and then locating the aperture over adie point carried by a member set in an anvil with the member having achannel therein around the base of the die point, the die point being offrusto-conical form. The other piece of metal to be staked to theapertured piece is then placed over the aperture and a tapered punch isthen forced down against the other piece of metal with suflicientpressure to extrude a portion of the metal of the upper piece into theaperture of the underlying piece of metal and around the die point,forcing the extruded metal into the channel around the base of the diepoint and laterally against the under surface of the apertured piece ofmetal so as to form between the two pieces of metal a locking stake orrivet and a locking key which is designed to yield when a sufficientamount of strain is placed upon the coupled pieces of metal.

As this invention may be embodied in several forms without departingfrom the spirit or essential characteristics thereof, the presentembodiment is therefore illustrative and not restrictive, since thescope of the invention is defined by the appended claims rather than bythe description preceding them, and all changes that fall within themetes and bounds of the claims or that form their functional as well asconjointly cooperative equivalents, are therefore intended to beembraced by those claims.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a split web metal channel having ahanger tab secured thereto and indicating in broken outline the body ofthe brick in which the channel is embedded;

PIG. 2 is an exploded View showing an end portion of the split webchannel as it appears before the angled tab is afiixed, and the angledtab, and illustrating the apertures in the latter through which portionsof the web metal are extruded to form the securing stake;

FIG. 3 is a view in top plan of the apparatus for effecting thesecurement of the tab to the channel web;

FIG. 4 is a longitudinal section taken substantially on the line 4--4 ofFIG. 3, but showing the stripper plate and carrier block separated andin relationship thereof either prior to or immediately following thepunching op eration;

FIG. 5 is a longitudinal section taken substantially on the line 55 ofFIG. 3, showing the device in a closed position;

FIG. 6 is a transverse section taken on the line 66 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 7 is a bottom plan view of the pressure pad or stripper plate;

FIG. 8 is a top plan view of the die table;

FIG. 9 is a detail sectional view on an enlarged scale through a portionof the anvil and a die member and showing in section the angled portionof the hanger tab and a portion of the channel web with the punch inraised position preparatory to downward movement for extruding the metalof the web;

FIG. 10 is a sectional detm'l on an enlarged scale taken in the plane ofsection line 66, but illustrating only one die member and an end portionof the punch and showing the formation of the extruded metal stake orrivet;

'FIG. 11 is a sectional detail illustrating on an enlarged scale thecompleted stake by which the two portions of the channel reinforcementand tab are secured together.

Referring now more particularly to FIGS. 1 and 2, the numeral 10generally designates a metal channel member of the type used forreinforcing refractory brick, which channel, as here illustrated, ismodified in accordance with the invention disclosed and claimed in thehereinbefore referred-to co-pending application to permit the side legsof the channel to spread when the channel is pressed into the refractorybrick material in the procedure of manufacturing the brick. The channelmember ltl comprises the side leg portions 1?. and the connecting web 14therebetween. The web 14 is provided at each end with a centrallylocated longitudinally extending slit 1%. The slits l8 terminate shortof the transverse center of the web so that there is a central solidportion of the web which is designated 14 and the web is provided withapertures Ztl each of which spans a slit 1% and which aperturesfacilitate the positioning of the channel on the hereinafter describedtable of the die press apparatus.

The slits 18 as formed initially in the web have an edge portion bentinwardly slightly throughout, as indicated at 22. However, the slit atthe end of the channel to which the hereinafter described hanger tab isattached, has a portion of the edges thereof from the outer end of theweb inwardly brought into the same plane as indicated at 18', as aresult of the pressing of the hanger tab to the channel web.

The hanger tab which is attached to the web portion of the channel, isgenerally designated 24. This hanger member comprises a strip of flatmetal having a long part as and a shorter right angularly turned endpart 2-8 and the width of this part 2% is less than the distance betweenthe channel legs 12 whereby the angled end part 23 can be placed againstthe inner face of the web between the legs.

In FIG. 1 the hanger tab is shown in fixed position against the channelweb and it is held in this position by the securing stakes hereinafterdescribed and here indicated in FIG. 1 by the reference character Ell.

Referring now to FIG. 2, it will be seen that the angled end portion 28of the tab has the two apertures 31 therein whereas the web portion ofthe channel at opposite sides of the portion of the slit which isdesignated 18', is imperforate.

The body part 26 of the hanger tab has a slot 32 formed therein and themetal tongue which is struck from this body part 26 is turned inwardlyand is designated 33. This tongue is pressed into the brick material inthe formation of the brick to facilitate or assist in forming a goodlooking connection between the channel member and the brick material.

The apparatus designed for carrying out the method of pinning orriveting the hanger tab to the web 14 with the angled portion 28 of thehanger tab disposed across a portion of the slit 1%, is illustrated inFIGS. 3 to 8. In these figures the numeral 35 generally designates theapparatus which embodies a head plate 36 and a bottom or base plate 37which are disposed in spaced superposed relation. The base plate carriesa pair of upstanding guide posts 38 which at their upper ends enterguide openings 39 formed in the head plate and pass through guidesleeves 4t? secured to the underside of the head plate 35 as illustratedparticularly in FIG. 6.

Mounted upon the top of the base plate 37 is a table supporting blockll. This block is of substantial height and length and is relativelynarrow in its cross section as shown most clearly in FIG. 6, and it maybe secured in upright position in a suitable manner to the base plate asby the use of screw bolts 42 having the heads 43 thereof counter-sunk inthe underside of the base plate, as indicated at :4. The threadedportions of the bolts 42. pass upwardly into the threaded bores 4-5 inthe block 41.

The base plate 37 and block 4 1 are also provided with bores to receivedowels 42'.

One end face of the block 41 is cut away to form an inwardly extendingrecess 46 which receives the tongue portion 3-3 of the hanger tab whenthe tab and channel member are in position for riveting or stakingtogether, as hereinafter described, and the end face of the block 4-1above the recess as is grooved or slotted as indicated at 4 7 tofacilitate the placement of the hanger tab in position.

For convenience of description the end face in which the recess 46 andslot 57 are formed will be referred to as the front end of the lower diepart.

The numeral 48 generally designates an elongate plate which functionsand will be described as the table on which the web portion of the metalchannel rests in the operation of the apparatus. This table is of awidth approximating that of the table block 41 and has a forward endportion 49 which is flush with the front end or front face of the block41 and across which the slot 47 is extended, as indicated at 50.

The table plate is fixed to the top of the block 41 in a suitablemanner, as for example, by the use of Allen screws or bolts 51, whichare counter-sunk in the top of the table plate and are threaded intobores in the top of the table block as illustrated. Also the table andsupport block are provided with bores to receive dowels 51.

The top surface of the table at the forward end thereof is formed withthe recess 52. This recess extends across the full width of the tableand to the forward end thereof and has a depth approximating thethickness of the angled portion 28 of the hanger tab.

Formed in the forward end of the table in the recessed area 5?; are twoapertures 53 into each of which is set a die member 54. These diemembers are in the form of cylindrical bodies and each has its topsurface flush with the surface of the table recess 52 and the center ofeach die member is formed with the upwardly extending frustoconicalpoint or button 55 which is encircled at its base 'by a channel 56,which extends below the top surface of the die member as best seen inthe enlarged sectional details forming FIGS. 9 and 10. This channel isillustrated as being U-shaped and one side of the channel forms acontinuation of the side of the frusto-conical point or button.

The forward end of the table plate, that is, the end designated 49 inwhich the recess 52 is formed, becomes an anvil as will be hereinafterapparent, against which the thrust of the hereinafter described punchesis directed. Also it will be seen that the die members are set in theanvil end of the table in a line transversely of the table and spacedequi-distantly from the longitudinal center thereof.

As shown in FIGS. 5 and 8, the table is of substantial length andprojects a substantial distance rearwardly from the block 4 1. The topsurface of the table is formed throughout the major portion of itslength from the back end thereof with a rectangular channel 57. Thischannel terminates short of the recess 52, at the hereinafter describedcentering stud. At the forward end of the channel the table plate orbody has two longitudinally spaced holes 53 formed therein which, whenthe table is secured by the screw bolts 51 to the top of the block 41,are aligned with passages 59 extending downwardly through the block 41and through the base plate 37.

The holes 58 are designed to receive the shank end 6%) of a locating orcentering stud 61 which projects above the top surface of the table asshown in FIG. 5 and is employed for locating the metal channel on thetable, as will be hereinafter set forth.

Fixed to the underside of the head plate 35 is an elongate punch carrierblock which is generally designated 62. This block is held firmly inposition against the underside of the head plate by the countersunkmachine bolts or screws ss.

As shown most clearly in FIG. 6, the punch carrier block 62 is of awidth somewhat greater than the width of the table block 4d and it alsoextends at its forward end beyond the forward end of the table block 41,as shown in FIG. 5.

The punch carrier block 62 is provided with guide passages or bores 64which are on the longitudinal center of the block and located oneadjacent to each end of the block, and these bores receive dowels 65fixed to the head plate as illustrated.

The punch carrier block also is formed with a number of spring housingchambers each of which in designated 66. Six of these chambers are hereillustrated, there being two which are spaced on the longitudinal centerof the block, and four arranged in rectangular relationship at the midportion of the block, and in each of these chambers there is housed anexpansion spring 67. The spring housing chamber 66 opens through thebottom of the block 62 to bear against the top of the hereinafterdescribed pressure pad or stripper plate.

Adjacent to the forward end of the block 62 there are formed the twotransversely spaced bores 63 which extend vertically through the blockand each of these bores has fixed therein a punch pin 69, which pins arepositioned to be axially aligned each with a frusto-conical point orbutton carried by the underlying die member and the lower end or punchend of each punch pin is tapered as indicated at 7% and terminates inthe blunt or flat circular end face 71. The diameter of this end face isapproximately that of the bottom of the annular channel 56.

The punch pins 69 are held in position in their respective bores 68 byset screws 72 which are threaded into opposite side faces of the punchcarrier block 62.

The numeral 73 generally designates a flat plate forming a pressure pador stripper plate. This stripper plate is approximately the same widthand length as the punch carrier block 62 against the underside of whichit is positioned, and it is maintained in connection with the block 62.for limited up an down movement by stripper bolts 7% which, as shown inFIG. 4, are positioned or located for sliding movement in bores 75formed vertically through the block 62 with the threaded lower end 7a ofthe bolts secured in and to the plate 73 while the head 77 of the boltis located for free movement in vertical passages 7:; formed in the headplate 35.

As shown in FIG. 4, the springs 67 bear upon the top of the pressure pador stripper plate and thus when the head plate is elevated by a suitablemeans, the block 62 and the stripper plate will separate to a certainextent, the limit of separation being controlled by the differencebetween the height of the block 62 and the length of the portion of thebolt 74 between the threaded end 76 and the head 77.

The stripper plate 73 is provided with the two transversely spacedvertical openings 79 in proper position to receive the lower ends of thepunch pins 69 and the punch pins are adjusted axially so that when thestripper plate is forced away from the block 62 by the springs 67, thetapered ends of the punch pins will be drawn into the openings 79 andwhen the head plate is forced downwardly and the pressure pad orstripper plate '73 comes to rest upon the web portion of a channelmember straddling the table 48, the punches will be projected below thebottom face of the stripper plate 73 to perform the desired punchingoperation.

Secured across and to the under face of the plate 73 at the forward endthereof is a locating bar 80, the same being fixed in position by amachine bolt 81 and the bar is maintained in proper positiontransversely of the under face of the stripper plate by dowels 82 whichare press fitted or otherwise secured in appropriate openings in thepress bar and the stripper plate.

In the operation of the apparatus for performing the method of attachingthe hanger tab to the web portion of the metal channel, the head plateis elevated to the proper extent to permit the tab and channel to beplaced in position on the table. The angle portion 23 is then placed inposition on the anvil surface of the table, such surface being thebottom of the rectangular recess formed in the top of the table, withthe die points or buttons 55 located in the apertures 31. As will beseen upon reference to FIG. 5, when the tab is placed in this position,the main portion 26 thereof will be extended downwardly across the frontof the table block 41 and the tongue 33 will be extended into the recess46.

The channel body lid is then placed on the table with the legs instraddling relation thereover, the web portion lying upon the top of thetable. The channel is properly located on the table by the engagement ofthe locating stud 61 in the opening 29 of the web and when the channelis so positioned on the table a portion of the slotted end thereof willbe located over the previously placed angled part 28 of the hanger tab.

The channel 57 formed longitudinally in the top surface of the tablereceives the inturned edge of each of the slots 13, thus permitting theweb to lie firmly and flat on the top of the table, and by means ofsuitable pressing apparatus the head plate is then forced downwardly andthe pressure pad will first come to rest upon the top of the channel weband as will be readily obvious, continued pressure will then close thegap between the pressure pad or stripper plate and the underside of theblock 62 against the resistance of the springs 67 and the locating barwill act to assure proper relationship of the channel and hanger tab toeach other. Thus the punch pins will be projected from the openings 7eagainst the channel web in line with the openings 31 in the underlyingangle portion of the tab 24. The metal of the channel web will thus beforced by the tapered flat end surfaced portions 79 of the punch pinsinto the openings 33 and will be distributed radially and extruded intothe U-channel 56 to spread laterally for a slight distance against theunder face of the angled portion 23 of the tab.

Simultaneousiy with this punching and extruding operation the edgeportion of that channel is lying over the tab part 28 and the unslottedsurface of the table beyond the locating stud 61, will be brought intothe same plane, as shown at 18 in FIG. 1.

To permit the desired operation the pressure pad or stripper plate isprovided with suitable sockets as indicated at 83 in line with the bores58 so that the positioning stud 61 secured in one of the bores canproject beyond the under face of the stripper plate.

FIG. 11 illustrates on an enlarged scale the details of the stake orrivet thus formed. In this figure it will be seen that the metal of theweb has been removed in the area designated 84 and extruded into theopening 31 lying beneath the punch pin to form a stake or rivet 8-5, andthe portion of the extruded metal which has been forced into the channel56 forms an annular locking key 86 so that the two parts, namely, theweb portion of the channel and the angle portion 28 of the hanger tab,are thus locked together. However, this locking key is of such characterthat when the channel member is forced into the refractory brickmaterial in the operation of pressing the brick and the stresses appliedto the legs of the channel cause the legs to spread, the locking keywill be broken away or displaced sufficiently, at least in one of theopenings 32 to permit separation of the edges of the portion 18' of theslit and thus prevent the establishing of stresses in the angle memberat the corners between the legs and the web to a degree which wouldcause the legs to tend to come back to their former positions and formundesirable voids or weak places in the brick after the pressing forceon the brick material has been removed.

As will be seen from reference to FIG. 11, the rivet or stake formed inthe manner described is hollow, having the downwardly opening pocket orchamber 87. Thus the stake wall nearest to the end to which the annularkey 86 is joined is relatively thin and this further facilitates thereleasing of the coupling between the channel web and tab under thecircumstances above described.

For operating the apparatus hereinabove described, use may be made ofany suitable pressing mechanism for forcing the head plate 35 downwardlyand elevating it as required. For example, the device may be and hasbeen used in a standard mechanical or hydraulic press of sufficient openheight and capacity to accommodate the device. In this connection thebase plate 37 is fastened to the bolster of the press, while the headplate 35 is fastened to the reciprocating slide of the press. Noillustration of such a mechanism has been made as it is believed that itwill be readily obvious how the apparatus may be secured s,111,ses

I? in a standard mechanical or hydraulic press in the manner stated.

As this invention may be embodied in several forms without departingfrom the spirit or essential characteristics thereof, the presentembodiment is therefore illustrative and not restrictive, since thescope of the invention is defined in the appended claims, and allcianges that fall within the metes and bounds of the claims, or thatform their functional as well as conjointly cooperative equivalents, aretherefore intended to be embraced by those claims.

I claim:

1. Apparatus for eifecting the connecting of a metal channel memberhaving a web portion and a metal tab having an aperture in one end bypressing metal of the channel web into the aperture of the tab; saidapparatus comprising a table having a top surface formed to support thechannel member with the web portion thereof lying on the table surface,the table at one end having a recess in the surface thereof extending tothe end of the table to receive the apertured portion of the tab, thesurface of the bottom of the recess forming an anvil, a stationary diemember carried by said table and having a portion projecting upwardlyfrom said anvil surface and said upwardly projecting portion having amaximum diameter only slightly less than the predetermined diameter ofthe tab aperture, a vertically movable structure overlying the anvil, apunch member carried by said structure in alignment with the die memberand movable to a working position relative to the die member short ofactual contact therewith, and means coacting with the lower end of thesaid upwardly projecting portion of the die member to receive metalforced by the punch member from the channel web and effect thesimultaneous formation of a hollow rivet and the locking together of thechannel web and tab in one operation of the punch and further to effectformation of a relatively thin weakened area in the rivet around the endthereof remote from the punch member to facilitate the rupturing of therivet and separation of said web portion and tab.

2. The invention according to claim 1, with a pin projecting upwardlyfrom the surface of the table in a predetermined spaced relation withtie end of said recess remote from said one end of the table and uponthe longitudinal center of the table for engagement by a part of thechannel web when the channel is placed on the table to maintain thechannel in position relative to the tab.

3. The invention according to claim 1, wherein the die member is in theform of a frustum of a cone and the said means includes a recess at thebase of the cone and lying below the anvil surface and extendinglaterally a. slight distance beyond the base of the cone.

4. The invention according to claim 1, wherein the die member is in theform of a frustum of a cone and the said means includes a U-shapedannular recess encircling the base of the cone with the inner side ofthe U forming a continuation of the side of the cone.

5. The invention according to claim 1, with a bar member connected toand extending across the underside of said vertically movable structureadjacent to the recessed end of the said table and in a position to movein a vertical path across said end of the stripper plate in the downwardmovement of the plate in the performance of a punching opera-tion and tomaintain the channel and the tab in proper relationship with oneanother.

6. Apparatus for releasably coupling together an end of a metal channelweb and an end part of a flat hanger tab by means of a formed hollowrivet portion of the web secured in an aperture of said part of thehanger tab; said apparatus comprising a table having a top surface forsupporting the metal channel to the Web of which the apertured part of atab is to be fixed, the table surface having a shallow recess therein atone end thereof and the recess extending to and opening through the saidone end of the table, the recess being dimensioned to receive theapertured end part of a flat hanger tab and having a depth approximatingthe thickness of said tab end part, the surface of the bottom of therecess forming an anvil, a stationary die member set in the table andhaving a top surface coplanar with the anvil surface and the die memherhaving a central upwardly tapering point projecting above the said topsurface and terminating in the plane of the table suriace, said pointbeing dimensioned to have a diameter at its base only slightly greaterthan the diameter of the aperture in the tabend, a vertically movablestructure overlying the anvil, a punch carried by and fixed to saidstructure in alignment with the die member and movable to a workingposition relative to the point of the die member short of actual contacttherewith, and means at the base of the die member and lying below thesaid top surface of the die member for receiving metal forced from thechannel web and into the aperture of the end part of a tab around thedie point by the punch and said means diverting the metal laterally tothe under side of the part of the tab lying on the anvil to effect inone operation the formation of a hollow rivet and the locking togetherof a channel web and the apertured end part of a tab, with said hollowformed rivet having an encircling relatively thin weakened wall portionin the area of the laterally diverted metal of the web for facilitatingthe rupturing of the rivet for separation of the web and tab joinedthereby.

7. The invention according to claim 6 wherein said die point is in theform of a 'r-ust'um of a cone and the said means at the base of thepoint comprises an annular recess encircling the base of the cone withthe inner side of the recess forming a downward continuation of the sideof the cone, the recess being U-shaped in cross section.

8. The invention according to claim 6 with a bar member carried by andextending across the under side of said vertically movable structure atthe said recessed end of the table and positioned to be moved downwardlyby said movable structure to extend across the said one end of the tablesimultaneously with the operation of the punch to engage a tab memberhaving the angular end part thereof on the anvil and maintain the tabmember angular part and the channel web in proper relationship one withthe other.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS636,916 Mergenthaler Nov. 14, 1899 1,252,289 Murray Ian. 1, 19182,348,998 Pease May 16, 1944 2,430,377 Vorreyer Nov. 4, 1947 2,514,659McOlun-g July 11, 1950 21,713,197 Schmidt July 19, 1955 2,754,877Gasstrom July 17, 1956 2,870,533 Benham Jan. 27, 1959

1. APPARATUS FOR EFFECTING THE CONNECTING OF A METAL CHANNEL MEMBERHAVING A WEB PORTION AND A METAL TAB HAVING AN APERTURE IN ONE END BYPRESSING METAL OF THE CHANNEL WEB INTO THE APERTURE OF THE TAB; SAIDAPPARATUS COMPRISING A TABLE HAVING A TOP SURFACE FORMED TO SUPPORT THECHANNEL MEMBER WITH THE WEB PORTION THEREOF LYING ON THE TABLE SURFACE,THE TABLE AT ONE END HAVING A RECESS IN THE SURFACE THEREOF EXTENDING TOTHE END OF THE TABLE TO RECEIVE THE APERTURED PORTION OF THE TAB, THESURFACE OF THE BOTTOM OF THE RECESS FORMING AN ANVIL, A STATIONARY DIEMEMBER CARRIED BY SAID TABLE AND HAVING A PORTION PROJECTING UPWARDLYFROM SAID ANVIL SURFACE AND SAID UPWARDLY PROJECTING PORTION HAVING AMAXIMUM DIAMETER ONLY SLIGHTLY LESS THAN THE PREDETERMINED DIAMETER OFTHE TAB APERTURE, A VERTICALLY MOVABLE STRUCTURE OVERLYING THE ANVIL, APUNCH MEMBER CARRIED BY SAID STRUCTURE IN ALIGNMENT WITH THE DIE MEMBERAND MOVABLE TO A WORKING POSITION RELATIVE TO THE DIE MEMBER SHORT OFACTUAL CONTACT THEREWITH, AND MEANS COACTING WITH THE LOWER END OF THESAID UPWARDLY PROJECTING PORTION OF THE DIE MEMBER TO RECEIVE METALFORCED BY THE PUNCH MEMBER FROM THE CHANNEL WEB AND EFFECT THESIMULTANEOUS FORMATION OF A HOLLOW RIVET AND THE LOCKING TOGETHER OF THECHANNEL WEB AND TAB IN ONE OPERATION OF THE PUNCH AND FURTHER TO EFFECTFORMATION OF A RELATIVELY THIN WEAKENED AREA IN THE RIVET AROUND THE ENDTHEREOF REMOTE FROM THE PUNCH MEMBER TO FACILITATE THE RUPTURING OF THERIVET AND SEPARATION OF SAID WEB PORTION AND TAB.